Sale of Chewing Tobacco, Gutka, Pan Masala etc Banned by DC Effective 29 April

Sale of Chewing Tobacco, Gutka, Pan Masala etc Banned by DC Effective 29 April

Mangaluru: With Coronavirus Outbreak, ‘Spitting In Public Is Not Just Gross, It’s A Health Hazard’, as per Experts and doctors, it is dangerous to public health since COVID-19 spreads through droplets, and forget about entire India, and for that matter it is happening here in Mangaluru. ‘Stop Spitting Movement’ is the need of the hour to break this habit among people as saliva carries live germs for more than 24 hours and can cause the spread of COVID-19 and many other disease. While the government has enforced a complete lockdown to keep people at a distance from each other along with urging them to maintain hygiene and practice proper hand washing, however, not enough focus is being given on stopping people from spitting in open or in public places. Spitting can cause the spread of COVID-19 as the saliva of an infected person can carry the virus for more than 24 hours.

We all know the dreadful Corona Virus Spreads through fomites and droplets. If you look at the larger picture these Pan masala, Tobacco and Zarda are sold rampantly in all the petty shops across the city. After chewing them normal response is to spit it out and there comes the biggest health hazard for others. It is learnt that after consumption of Pan Masala, Gutka, Jarda and other chewing tobacco products and later spitting in public places causes problems to people besides spreading infectious deceases such as tuberculosis, pneumonia and Covid-19 virus from one person to the other.

In a press release by the Deputy Commissioner Ms Sindhu Rupesh and the District Tobacco Control Coordination Committee states that in view of public welfare and Covid-19, sales and consumption of Pan Masala, Zarda, Gutka and other chewing tobacco products in the district are banned effective 29 April 2020, until further orders. Violations by those who sell these products will be booked and face legal action under Infectious Diseases Act 1897, Disaster Management Act 2005, IPC 188, 268, 269 and 270.

Speaking to Team Mangalorean, Dr Padmanabh Kamath- HoD of Cardiology Department at KMC, Mangaluru said, “I am glad that DC has issued orders to ban chewing tobacco products, during lockdown in Mangaluru which harm the citizens in time of covid-19. This sickening habit can make people’s life infectious. Many people have this habit of spitting anywhere and everywhere- while walking, while driving their vehicles or being driven. Just look at the red stains on the walls, buildings, streets etc from spitting. Roads and public places are nothing more than bathrooms for them where they can unleash a stream of saliva directly in the path of people”.
“Saliva carries live germs for more than 24 hours and can cause every respiratory disease including COVID-19 especially because it is caused by respiratory droplets and transmission may occur when these droplets enter the mouths, noses, or eyes of people who are nearby. Also, the spit does not just contain saliva but sometimes it also has mucus which is a habitat of many kinds of germs. And now during the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, awareness of the disastrous effects of spitting must be publicized in all media, along with imposing penalties on anyone found spitting in public places or offices” added Dr Kamath.